The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The new variety originated as the result of a crossing performed in 2008 of the unpatented seed parent variety Begonia rex cultorum ‘Lalome’ with the pollen parent, the unpatented variety Begonia rex cultorum ‘Red Rocket.’ The new variety was discovered by the inventor, Gary Crook, a citizen of the United States, at a commercial greenhouse in Scotts Mills, Oreg. during 2008, among a planting of seedlings resulting from the previously mentioned crossing.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘BRXCA17’ was first performed in Scotts Mills, Oreg. in 2009, by vegetative leaf cuttings. ‘BRXCA17’ has since produced several generations by vegetative leaf cuttings and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.